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This Easy Cauliflower Gnocchi with Marinara Sauce is a lighter, fresher way to get your pasta fix without the carbs! It’s freezer-friendly and made with simple, better-for-you ingredients like Mazola®​ Corn Oil!

September is National Cholesterol Awareness Month, and to spread awareness through my love of food, I recently whipped up an easy cauliflower gnocchi. It’s easier than you might think to make homemade gnocchi, especially when it’s made with only three ingredients – cauliflower, gluten-free flour, and Mazola Corn Oil. A clinical study showed Mazola Corn Oil reduces cholesterol 2x more than extra virgin olive oil. To learn more about this claim, see Mazola.com.

Gnocchi is actually considered a dumpling that’s traditionally made with potato, all-purpose flour, and an egg. I’ve lightened up my gnocchi recipe by swapping out the potato for cauliflower. Instead of all-purpose flour, I used gluten-free flour (you could also use whole wheat flour or another flour alternative). In place of the egg, I used Mazola Corn Oil. It’s a simple swap that helps reduce saturated fats and cholesterol!

I think of gnocchi as pasta and you can’t have homemade pasta without a good homemade tomato sauce! So I also whipped up a homemade marinara sauce made with a can of low sodium crushed tomatoes, Mazola Corn Oil (instead of olive oil), garlic, onion, and fresh herbs! Toss the gnocchi in the marinara before serving and top with fresh basil and shaved Parmesan.

How to make perfect cauliflower gnocchi!

The first batch of gnocchi that I made was a little tricky for me. I was still trying to get the right consistency to roll out and cut into little rectangles. You don’t want your dough to be dry, but you don’t want it to be too wet either. The right consistency is somewhat sticky, so be patient while you’re forming the dough.

If the dough crumbles while you’re rolling it out, add a little more water to it. If it seems too sticky, add a little flour. A little goes a long way, so work slowly! Once you get your dough right, making gnocchi is a breeze and takes just minutes to cook!

You can start the marinara sauce before working on the gnocchi. That way, you can give it time to thicken up and grab all of those delicious flavors! Bring to a boil, give it a good stir, then lower the heat. When it’s done, you can serve it alongside the gnocchi or lightly toss the gnocchi in the sauce and serve it with fresh basil and shaved Parmesan.

We’ve had a lot of fun experimenting with recipes that are better for us since we’ve changed our eating habits. Adding Mazola Corn Oil to our recipes has been a simple swap that helps us keep our cholesterol in check.

Mazola Corn Oil is an all-purpose, cholesterol free cooking oil that is a smart heart-healthy* choice for your family. *See Mazola.com for more information on the relationship between corn oil and heart health. It has a variety of uses including baking, grilling, sautéing, stir frying, or mixing up a marinade or dressing.

This gnocchi was so good that I ended up doubling the batch! My husband and I have really enjoyed this recipe! The best part is that you can make it ahead of time and freeze it! Just shape the gnocchi, place it on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze. Then, you can divide it into freezer bags and enjoy it whenever you want!

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Take your taste buds away to a tropical paradise with this sweet and savory Low Carb Cauliflower Hawaiian Fried Rice made with pineapple, ham, and veggies!

A taste of Hawaii without ever having to leave your home!

The first time I ever had Hawaiian fried rice was when my brother made it for my niece’s first birthday party. It was so delicious! The party was in the park under a big tent. The music was on, the grill was going, and then a ginormous summer storm rolled through.

Like we literally watched it roll in from one side of the park. It was crazy!

When it finally hit us, the winds picked up and blew over some of the food trays. Some of the ropes holding down the tent untied. We were all huddled together underneath while some of the men worked to secure our little outdoor space. After the storm, we were left with a sopping mess and no way to grab seconds from the wind blown food trays. Needless to say, it was a memorable party for all of us!

But I’m thankful that I got to try the Hawaiian fried rice because it was a hit! What makes fried rice Hawaiian? Ham and pineapple, of course!

Since my husband’s change in diet recently got spun around like that storm, I’ve been trying to make dishes that are healthy, but not at all bland. Last week, I scored an amazing deal on Hatfield pork products at the grocery store (BOGO, y’all!). I had a few ham steaks to use from the sale, so I decided to make a low carb version of Hawaiian fried rice (and had a fun time remembering that party in the park while making it).

I had never made cauliflower rice before. I’ve only ever had it in a heat-and-eat style frozen bag. But it was really easy to make! I broke the cauliflower into little pieces and then pulsed them for just a few seconds until they became a rice-like consistency. Then, all I had to do was put this recipe together in my wok!

I always get nervous watching my husband try a new recipe for the first time. Especially if it’s on the healthier side. But he really seemed to enjoy this and I was happy we had a lot of leftovers because it was so good!

The flavor is amazing! It’s a little sweet, a little savory, and a great, light dish for spring and summer! Now that I know how easy it is to make riced cauliflower from scratch, I’ll definitely be making it a lot more!

Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes. Is there anything better than a potato? Well, maybe bacon, but we’ll get to that a little later! I could probably eat potatoes with every meal, but we know that’s a big no-no if you’re low carbing it. Thank goodness for cauliflower! I mean, let’s just say it – cauliflower will never be a potato, but it’s a nice substitution. Especially for mashed potatoes! Mashed cauliflower is so easy to make. It’s even easier if you use frozen cauliflower florets.

I had a bag of frozen cauliflower in the freezer. When I’m grocery shopping, sometimes I find myself lingering around the frozen veggie case. I’ll always prefer fresh veggies (especially this time of year), but it’s nice to have frozen options in a pinch! I’ve seen a ton of recipes for cauliflower mash using fresh cauliflower. So I decided to try it with my little, neglected bag of frozen cauliflower. I almost surprised myself with how delicious this dish was!

If you’re still not convinced that cauliflower is the new potato, just wait because this isn’t just mashed cauliflower. Oh, no! This mash is LOADED! Even with all of the delicious ingredients thrown into this dish, it remains to be low carb friendly. What’s not to love about a dish that’s made with cheese, sour cream, chives, and bacon?! Lots and lots of crumbled bacon!

So here’s the deal. This mash starts with a bag of frozen cauliflower getting boiled until it’s nice and soft. Your kitchen will stink like hell for a little bit, but don’t worry! Once you start adding all of that cheesy, bacon goodness on top, the aroma will get better! Mash up the cauliflower, then add in sour cream, chives, cheese, and bacon.

It all gets popped into the oven for 20 minutes. You want a nice, golden brown edge to it. Then, top it off with more cheese, more chives, and yes, more bacon! Toss it back in the oven until the cheese melts and starts to bubble around the edge. So good!

Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Carefully add the bag of cauliflower.

Boil until the cauliflower has softened, about 10 minutes.

Drain. Then, use a potato masher to mash the cauliflower.

Add to a food processor, along with the sour cream and garlic powder. Pulse just until smooth.

Stir in half of the crumbled bacon, half of the cheese, and half of the chives into the mashed cauliflower.

Season with salt and pepper and spoon into the prepared casserole dish.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edge of the mashed cauliflower has turned golden brown.

Remove from the oven and top with the remaining cheese and bacon.

Lower the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Remove from the oven and top with more fresh chives before serving.

By Jessica Holoka

Living La Vida Holoka https://www.livinglavidaholoka.com/

I’m going to be totally and completely honest right now. Would I say that I’m never eating mashed potatoes again? Hell to the no! But this substitution for some loaded up mashed potatoes is pretty darn good! It’s easy, it’s cheesy, and it’s full of flavor!

So the next time you have a hankering for mashed potatoes, try this instead! It might even become a new favorite side dish for your family! Grab a spoon and dig in!